Upside Down
by inequito
Summary: Two girls survive a pirate attack and are rescued by the Black Pearl. They must decide whether to try to piece their old lives back together, or if they'd rather stay with the crew and hunt down the pirates that attacked them. Some silliness and misadventure as well. Jack/OC, Will/Elizabeth and Will/OC later :)
1. Adrift

**Hey guys! I haven't written in years, thought I'd give it another shot! So thanks for reading, I really appreciate reviews, suggestions, anything. Hope you enjoy and thanks again!**

The girls clutched each other's hands tightly, while both sat locked in a damp cell. One whimpered when she noticed a figure walking down the stairs. The sloshing of footsteps through shallow water grew closer and closer, and the girl's grasp tightened further. The blonde girl turned her head down; the brunette picked hers up.

The figure came to a halt a few feet from the bars of their cell. It was silent, and did not move. More people came down the stairs, these ones louder and rowdy. Finally about fifteen men crowded around them, and a man stepped forward to address the two girls.

"Ladies," He began, a cruel smile on his face, "we have decided we're through with you."

The two had no visible response, but their hearts raced.

"Won't you come with me?" The man asked, opening the door. He extended his hand toward the brunette. She glared at him and stood up under her own power. He moved it toward the blonde, who took it.

"You were always more agreeable, Annabelle," He said, pulling her up. As he walked them through the crowd of men, hands brushed all over them. Neither of them jerked away anymore.

When they reached the deck of the ship they were introduced to the first sunlight they had seen for days. The air was less humid and it was easier to breathe.

The man brought them to the edge of the ship, where a rowboat sat undulating in the water.

"I can assure you that we've enjoyed your company, but it's best you be on your way," He told them. The girls didn't move, but both looked down at the small boat. It didn't look like it could take the weight of the both of them, and some of the planks seemed to be rotting.

"Go on," The man encouraged. They looked at each other, and the brunette stepped off the ship, climbing down to the small boat. Annabelle followed after her, taking one last look at the faces of the men aboard the ship.

"I've got you," The brunette said, grabbing hold of the back of her pale green dress.

They pushed off from the ship, each of them taking an oar. Their movements were hesitant; they both thought this would turn out to be some kind of joke. When they were about fifty feet from the ship the man called out to them, "Don't forget about old Charles!" He shouted, and the crew of the ship erupted in laughter, and began jeering after them. Soon they were all throughout the masts, lowering the sails and speeding away.

The girls breathed a sigh of relief, but they didn't have long to relax. "What in the world are we going to do?" Annabelle asked, her voice stiff with tension.

"I don't know, we'll figure it out," The brunette answered, rubbing her temples.

"Sarah, I know nothing about sailing!" Annabelle protested.

"Neither do I!" Sarah responded, her voice taking on more of an edge. She surveyed their surroundings, and found absolutely nothing. There was no sail in the boat, no food, no water, no blankets, just the two oars they had in their hands. She didn't even know where they were, didn't know which way to row to.

"Okay," She began, calmer now, "We're going to sit until the sun starts to set. Then we'll know which direction is which. Last I knew, we were right off the coast of Florida. So hopefully we can just go south and reach land."

Annabelle nodded in silent agreement.

Sarah reached out and grabbed her hand.

"We've made it this far, we're going to get all the way through this," She promised her. Annabelle put her head down; tears were forming in her eyes. When they finally broke free, they left trails of clear skin on her grime-covered face.

"Wash yourself," Sarah instructed, splashing her face and arms with seawater. She glanced down at her dress and saw how ripped and stained it was. She looked over at Annabelle's, and saw the same thing. A sad smile crossed her face. Just a few days earlier they had decided to break out their favorite new dresses, instead of saving them for their arrival in Spanish Town. It seemed they had made the right decision; although these were dirty and ragged, they still had them. The others were totally gone.

A few hours after they were set adrift, Annabelle could swear she saw something in the distance. After watching it for ten minutes or so, she felt confident enough to bring it up.

"Sarah, do you see that?" She asked, pointing at a black smudge near the horizon.

"Yeah…yeah I do," She replied. "We should try for it," She decided.

"What if it's them again though?" Annabelle asked.

Sarah looked at her, her large blue eyes wide and scared, her golden blonde hair a tangled mess. She didn't want to admit it, but there was a scared little Annabelle inside her too.

"I don't think it is…they left in the opposite direction," She said, "Besides, we can always row away, right?" She added, trying to conjure a smile. Annabelle nodded, smiling back. They both picked up their oars and started rowing.

As they approached the ship they were relieved to see that it was not, in fact, the ship that they had just left. They heard shouting on board, and a rope was thrown down to them.

"Come aboard!" A voice called.

Annabelle and Sarah looked at each other, each judging the situation. With no word between the two they scrambled onto the ship.

They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the situation on the deck. A group of raggedy men all stood, staring at them. Their clothes were mismatched and none looked less than a year old. One man in particular stood out, with large dreadlocks, beads throughout his hair, and a seemingly random assortment of items amongst his person. He stood the closest to them, next to a man with a kind face who was dressed far more conservatively than him.

"Are you okay?" the kind-faced man asked. They must have looked worse than they thought.

"Yes...yes," Sarah answered.

The strange man staggered up closer to them. He didn't seem to be able to walk properly.

"What are ye doing out here?" he asked.

Sarah grasped for words, but couldn't find any. "We need help," She said instead.

"Well what happened?" The man pressed.

Annabelle took a half step back.

"Pirates," Sarah responded breathlessly.

"Are there any others?" The kind-faced man asked.

"I don't know, I don't know…maybe," Sarah said.

"Well we'll take care of you," He said, "Won't we, Jack?"

The strange man nodded. "Mister Gibbs, get these two to a cabin, give them whatever they need," He ordered, a little absentmindedly.

An older man stepped forward and motioned for Annabelle and Sarah to follow him. Through two double doors they went, into a large, but dark, cabin. Through more doors and into a smaller, albeit just as dark, room. Gibbs motioned to a small bed, and they both collapsed onto it.

"I'll get ye some water," he said, and left the room.

Annabelle and Sarah looked at each other, but didn't know what to say.

"Are we safe?" Annabelle asked.

"I don't know…it's certainly going better than last time," Sarah responded.

Gibbs returned with two cups of water and some bread.

"Here, get some of this in ye," He said.

Annabelle and Sarah murmured their thanks while gulping down water and chewing bread.

The door opened, and the strange man entered with the other man following behind him.

"Ladies," The strange man began, "I realized I had been rude by not introducing myself earlier. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, " He said.

"I'm Sarah," Sarah said.

"And I'm Annabelle," Annabelle said softly.

"And I'm Will Turner," the kind-faced man added. Sarah smiled at him.

"Thank you for taking us," Sarah said to Jack. He nodded.

"Of course. Now, the two of you get some rest. I'm sure you two can share the same bed?" He asked.

They both nodded.

"Good. Now, get yourselves better and we'll talk in the morning,"

They nodded again, and the three men left the room. Annabelle and Sarah didn't say a word to each other, they both collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

**Now, the boring getting-to-know-everyone part is over, we can get into some better stuff! Thanks for reading! :)**


	2. A Drop Too Much

**Hey guys! Thanks again for reading :) As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

Sarah woke up with a pounding headache. She looked around her, hardly recalling the events of the past day. She had fallen asleep without even getting under the covers. Annabelle was still asleep next to her.

Sarah got up from the bed slowly, careful not to disturb Annabelle. She walked to a mirror on the other side of the room. It had a beautiful dark wood frame, and although the edges were smudged, the center was clear enough. She looked at herself in the mirror, and was taken aback.

Her normally bright brown eyes were tired and weary, her wavy brown hair, which usually was full of volume and bounce, fell limp down to her ribs. She sighed as she looked at her skin; it was pale and exhausted.

_Maybe I should have slept more,_ she thought. She ran her fingers through her hair and smacked her face to try and get some more color in it.

Giving up, she tiptoed out of the room. The captain's cabin was empty, and she quickly made her way outside.

There was a little bit of activity on the ship, but most of the crew were just sitting around. One by one the crew members noticed her and stopped what they were doing to look.

Jack sauntered over to her. "Good mornin' Sarah," He said with a smile.

"Good morning," She answered.

"Is yer friend awake?" He asked. Sarah shook her head.

"Not yet. I think this might take her a while, she's a little reactive," She explained.

"Ah," Jack nodded, "Well, how about you tell ol' Jack what happened?" He asked.

"Just so long as we sit somewhere, and maybe with a glass of water?" Sarah suggested.

"Let's meet in the middle," Jack said, "We can sit somewhere, but we'll be drinking rum,"

Sarah laughed, "That'll work,"

"George!" Jack shouted, "Get the lady and I some rum!"

A rail-thin man rushed from the port side of the ship to the stairs and disappeared below decks. A few moments later he returned, carrying two mugs.

"Thank you, son," Jack said to George. George bowed his head.

"Yer welcome, sir,"

Jack led Sarah to the quarterdeck stairs and sat down with her there.

"Now, love," He began, "How did you end up like this?"

Sarah took a swig from her mug and sighed, getting herself ready.

"It all started weeks ago…in New York. I had just accepted a marriage proposal,"

Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I wasn't ecstatic about it either. Timothy is his name. He owns some land down in Spanish Town, and we were going to marry there. But anyway, three days ago, pirates attacked the ship-"

"Who? What did they look like?" Jack interrupted.

"I'll get to that in a moment if you start using your manners," She scolded. Jack grinned and waved her on.

"As I was saying," Sarah continued, "The ship was attacked by pirates. There weren't many on board; the crew, Annabelle and me, Timothy, and a few other passengers. Some of the crew were killed immediately. Some of us were captured…they burned the ship. They locked Annabelle and I up in a cell. Yesterday the captain brought us to the boat, and we sailed off. A few hours later we came across your ship," She finished. "When we were walking back up to the deck, I didn't see anyone I knew," She added.

Jack's brow furrowed. "And that's all that happened?" He asked.

Sarah swallowed hard. "Yeah," After a short pause she continued, "The ship wasn't too big…smaller than this one," She watched Jack smile a bit, "We had to walk down a bunch of stairs to get to the cell… there were cannons on the deck…I'm sorry, I really know nothing about ships," She apologized.

Jack shook his head, "No, no, it's alright love," He said.

"Oh!" Sarah exclaimed, "The captain, he had a hat with a huge feather in it, a golden feather,"

Jack's face scrunched up, "Sorry, that could really be anyone," He responded.

Sarah nodded. "The rest of them…I mean they looked like your crew does,"

A voice called out beneath them, it was soft, and difficult to hear, "Sarah?" It called. Sarah perked up, peering through the railing to see what was beneath her.

"Up here Annabelle!" She called.

"Ah, Annabelle," Jack said as she approached, standing up and doing a small bow. Annabelle smiled.

"How did you sleep?" Jack asked, eyes focused on her.

"Very well, thank you," She replied, her gaze darting to the ground.

"Where were you girls heading?" Jack asked, looking back up at Sarah for a moment.

"Spanish Town," Sarah answered, a little annoyed; she had told him that earlier.

"WILL!" Jack shouted. Sarah saw his head peek out from behind the wheel. "Divert course to Spanish Town!" He commanded.

"Spanish Town?!" Gibbs called, "Are ye out of yer 'ead?" He asked.

"No," Jack replied, "I'm trying to get these ladies to their destination," frustration was very clear in his voice.

"So you want to sail to the capital of Jamaica, a place teeming with the Navy, on a ship with two women on it?" He inquired.

"Yes," Jack responded curtly. Sarah watched Gibbs sigh and throw his hands in the air. Will shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry about him, love," Jack apologized, taking Annabelle's hand.

"It's fine," She blushed.

Sarah scoffed and headed up the stairs to the quarterdeck, situating herself next to Will.

"Is he always like that?" She asked.

"Like what?"

"So…forward, with women," Sarah clarified.

Will chuckled, "I'm afraid he is,"

"Well anyway, I want to thank you, and you too Mister Gibbs, for helping us. As much as I was trying to be an optimist, I really doubt we would have survived if you hadn't picked us up," She admitted.

"Of course," Will replied, smiling at her.

"You've got Jack to thank," Gibbs told her. Sarah looked down at him, still talking to Annabelle. She had moved closer to him and he was still holding her hand. She walked toward them, and Annabelle glanced up at her. She quickly pulled her hand away from Jack.

"Annabelle," Sarah said, "Why don't you come with me?" Annabelle nodded silently.

The two walked along the side of the ship.

"Did you know that they're pirates?" Annabelle asked eagerly.

"Yes, I realized," Sarah scoffed, "So what in the world are you doing?"

"I don't know what you mean,"

"You know exactly what I mean. If your father ever finds out that you were talking to Jack, especially _talking _the way you were, he'll be furious," Sarah warned.

Annabelle rolled her eyes, "Come on, Sarah, we're out here on this ship, away from everyone, nobody will ever know. And really, he's a handsome man," She argued.

'He is a handsome man," Sarah agreed, "But you can't go around flirting with every handsome man you see. The world is small, and things get around," She advised.

Annabelle waved her hand in the air, dismissing Sarah's claims. "Whatever happens, happens," she decided.

* * *

Annabelle stood up from the table. "I'm going to bed," She announced. Jack stood up with her, and leaned down to kiss her hand.

"Sleep tight," He said with a wink. Annabelle smiled back at him.

"Sarah, are you coming?" She asked.

Sarah shook her head, "I'm not tired yet,"

Annabelle had no response. She turned on her heel and headed toward their room. She didn't care what Sarah's opinion was. She was an adult; she knew what she was doing. She was allowed to have a little fun, she wasn't involved with anyone, and after they were dropped off in Spanish Town she would never see these people again. She stripped down to her chemise and petticoat and crawled into bed, glowering over their earlier conversation.

Sarah stayed at the table with Jack and Will, working on her third glass of rum.

"So how's Lizzy?"Jack asked Will.

"Well, she's alright," He said, but the tone of his voice betrayed him. He had had quite a bit to drink, and seemed ready to divulge more than normal. "She's just so damn stubborn. And demanding. And independent. You know?" He admitted. Jack laughed,

"I know!" He concurred.

Sarah sat with a scowl on her face. "There's nothing wrong with that!" She protested.

"Is there not?" Jack asked, laughing.

"There is not." Sarah repeated.

"Sorry love, but I don't like being bossed around by me woman," Jack said. He rocked back on the chair's hind legs, his hands cupped behind his head, a cocky smile on his face.

Will, sitting at the head of the table, thrust his mug into the air, "AYE!" He shouted.

Sarah laughed. "You're lying," She observed.

Jack blew a raspberry, "Prove it,"

She rolled her eyes, but had nothing to say.

"But anyway," Will began again, stuttering a bit, "She wanted to go off on her own and 'find herself'. I don't know what that means! I told her absolutely not, but she goes anyway!" He recounted. He dropped his head down and crossed his arms, pouting. "She said she'd leave me if I stopped her from going…I should have let her leave me," He grumbled.

"No, no, no," Jack said, dismissing him, "She'll come around. Ye put so much time and effort into 'er, just wait a bit," He advised.

Will shook his head, "I don't know…"

"Is this what men talk about when women aren't around?" Sarah asked, incredulous. "Am I to expect my husband to talk about me like this?"

Jack leaned toward her and winked, "Not if ye behave yerself," He chuckled.

"You'd best watch yourself, Jack Sparrow," Sarah warned, shaking her head.

Will hiccuped. "She's serious Jack," he said.

"That's right," Sarah agreed, "Will's got the idea,"

Jack, with a smirk on his face, leaned back a bit too far in his chair, and it fell from beneath him. He fell onto his back, smacking his head against the deck.

Sarah sprang up and ran to him, while Will pointed and laughed.

"Are you okay?" She asked, grabbing his head.

"You're a witch!" He accused, eyes wide with fear.

"You're drunk!" She countered.

Jack giggled, "You're right."

**This one was a bit longer...was it too long? I was trying to break it into two chapters, but I couldn't find a part to break it at that I really liked. I hope you were able to get through it xD**

**Thanks again for reading, and reviews are always greatly appreciated! 3**


	3. Fog

"What are you doing?" Annabelle asked, watching Sarah sitting at a cramped desk, scribbling furiously.

"Writing to my parents," Sarah replied, not bothering to look at her.

"I don't think that they can send it from the ship…"Annabelle said hesitantly. Sarah sighed. This time she turned to face her. "I know they can't. This is so I can send it as soon as we get to Spanish Town," She explained.

"Oh," Annabelle said flatly, and turned to leave. She didn't understand why Sarah was so rude sometimes. She acted like she was an idiot, and Annabelle didn't quite know how to respond to it. She wanted to make it known that she didn't appreciate it, but didn't want to lose the closest thing she had to a friend outside New York. She had resorted to just walking away when Sarah got like this.

Through the doors she went, into Jack's cabin. She paused for a moment and looked around. Various items were strewn throughout the room; maps and charts over here, unidentifiable pieces of fabric over there, and an array of empty glass bottles everywhere.

"Hmh," She said to herself, and walked out onto the deck. The weather was not as nice as it was the day before. The sky was overcast and a fine mist hung over the ship. "Ugh," She said, crossing her arms.

"Is something wrong?" Jack asked, materializing on her left.

"Oh," she said with a smile, "The weather,"

"You don't like it?"

"I must admit that I don't, it's terribly dreary and ugly," She explained.

"I think it adds a bit of mystique," Jack said, looking around.

Annabelle shrugged, "To each his own,"

Jack nodded in agreement.

"I'd say we're about two days from Spanish Town," He guessed. Annabelle took a step closer to him.

"That's it?" She asked sadly.

Jack's eyebrows rose, "I'm afraid so…I wish we had more time as well,"

Annabelle grabbed his arm. "Well let's make the most of it," She suggested. Jack's heart skipped a beat. He would be hard-pressed to imagine a girl more eager than her.

"Why don't we go up to the crow's nest?" He asked, "Take in the view?"

Annabelle smiled up at him, "That sounds perfect,"

Jack put his hand on her back to guide her. He still couldn't believe his luck. He stopped when they reached the rigging and climbed up. He looked down to see Annabelle standing on the deck, while he was about ten feet above her.

"How rude of me," He apologized, coming back down to her, "Let me help you,"

Once they reached the crow's nest Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. Even with Jack's aid, the journey through the ratlines was harrowing. She didn't want to imagine the way down.

"So, tell me a story Jack," Annabelle said, grabbing his arm, "about one of your adventures,"

Jack smirked, "Oh, I know just the one,"

* * *

Sarah groaned, shaking her hand out. She had been writing for at least an hour, telling her parents all about everything that had happened. Writing it all down made it seem like it had actually happened, up until now everything had been so surreal.

She looked at herself in the mirror again. Her appearance was improving. Her eyes were brighter, her skin coming back to life. The state of her dress, however, had not improved. The rips and tears had gotten worse, and the stains had sunk even deeper into the fabric. She threw her hands up in the air in surrender after a few minutes of looking at it. It had been a beautiful light blue when she had put it on; now it was more of a medium gray, with off-white peeking through the holes. "There's nothing to be done," She muttered, and walked outside. She spotted Will, sitting by the bow, his head cradled in his hands.

"You don't look so good…" She observed, walking up to him.

"I made a mistake last night," He groaned.

"Yeah, but it was a fun mistake!" She quipped. Will chuckled.

"That is was," He agreed.

"Where's Annabelle?" Sarah asked, looking around for her. The mist made it difficult to see further than a few feet in front of her.

"Eh…I think she's up in the crow's nest with Jack," Will answered.

"WHAT?" Sarah shouted. Will winced at the sudden outburst. "Sorry," She said, "I just…she's making such a mistake, and she won't listen to me. She's going to ruin her life doing this. She's cut it so close so many times; you would think she'd have learned her lesson by now," She explained.

Will nodded, "Women usually make mistakes with Jack," He told her.

Sarah's attention was diverted by a loud thump- she looked to where it came up and squinted; she couldn't make out a thing. Soon Jack and Annabelle appeared out of the mist. Sarah glared at them as they walked up to her and Will.

"Hello Will," Annabelle said, ruffling his hair. Will looked up at her, confused. Sarah rolled her eyes and groaned. She would never admit it, but as much as she hated Annabelle's way of interacting with men, she was jealous of it too.

A tug on her sleeve brought her out of her thoughts. It was Jack. He was jerking his head behind him; he wanted her to follow him. She did, and they stood along the rail, a few yards from Will and Annabelle.

"Can I ask you something?" Jack asked, standing uncomfortably close to Sarah, leaning in toward her.

"Yes," She replied, just a bit nervous.

"Why are ye giving me looks?" He questioned. Sarah wasn't nervous anymore.

"I'm not giving you looks; I'm giving Annabelle looks." She clarified. Jack's eyebrows drew together. "She shouldn't be talking with you. She's not married, and she's not engaged. If word gets around about anything that happened on this ship her life is ruined. No man will ever marry her," Sarah explained.

"You're talking to me," Jack remarked.

Sarah shook her head, "I'm not talking to you the same way she is. And besides, I'm engaged. I have more freedom than she does, really," She countered.

Jack shrugged. "You can't control people, love," He told her.

Sarah's shoulders slumped. "I know," She looked around her and sighed, trying to forget about this. "I love this weather," She said.

Jack looked at her for a moment, eyes narrowed. "You do?" He asked.

Sarah nodded, "Yeah. It's all mysterious, and it's just gorgeous at night when there's lights on," She said.

Jack looked at her and smiled, "Aye, it is,"

* * *

Day had turned to night, but the dense fog remained. Lanterns hung throughout the deck of the ship, casting a dim orange light and creating orbs through the mist. A table was set up on the deck again, seating Annabelle, Sarah, Jack, Will and Gibbs. The rum was flowing freely after their dinner.

"And then he scurried under her dress!" Jack finished, slamming his mug on the table. Everyone erupted in laughter, falling forward and grabbing their sides.

"I like it," Sarah approved. Jack raised his mug and took a sip.

"Tell us another!" Annabelle demanded from the seat next to him.

"Nah," Sarah dismissed, "Let's talk about this fog. Do you guys see this?!" She exclaimed, making a swooping gesture with her arm. "Do you understand how great it is?"

Jack laughed, "I'm glad you're easily entertained,"

Sarah winked at him, "Rarely get bored," and took the last sip of her drink. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue; it was time for bed. "Alright," She said, getting up, "Time for me to turn in. Everyone have a lovely night!"  
A chorus of goodnights followed her as she ambled back toward her cabin. She glanced back for a minute and saw Jack whispering in Annabelle's ear. She could have sworn she saw him say "Sea turtles". "Well, obviously I don't know how to read lips," She scoffed.

**I was wondering if you guys think the story is going too slowly. I know I tend to rush through things when I write, so I've been actively trying to slow it down...and now I'm worried it's going too slowly xD I'm curious to know what you guys think :)**

**As always, thanks for reading, and I love seeing reviews! :D**


	4. Rude Awakenings

**Just a quick one before dinner :)**

Sarah woke up alone, which was highly unusual. She was almost always awake before Annabelle. A quick check around the cabin revealed that she wasn't hiding in the shadows.

Sarah began her normal routine, walking up to the mirror. She looked pretty much the same as yesterday; her dress was a little worse for wear and her hair was tangled. She tried combing her fingers through it, which helped more than she expected it to.

She walked through to Jack's cabin and saw that he was still in bed. It made her a little uncomfortable, and she hurried toward the door. However, at the last second, she noticed something. Whoever was in the bed had long, blonde hair. Jack did not have long, blonde hair. She spun around, eyes wide. She slowly approached the bed, terrified of what she would find there. She pulled the covers off a little and saw none other than Annabelle.

She didn't know what to do for a second.

"ANNABELLE!" She roared. Annabelle shot up, quickly wrapping the covers around herself.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Sarah screeched. Annabelle stared at her with big, doll-like eyes. "You'll never be married!" Sarah continued.

"No," Annabelle started, her voice soft, "I'm staying with Jack," she told her.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked, thoroughly confused.

"I'm with Jack. We'll be married soon, don't you worry." Annabelle's voice rose.

"You're out of your mind! He's not going to marry you!"

"He told me he loves me!" Annabelle shouted.

Suddenly Jack burst into the cabin. "What is going on 'ere?" He howled. The two girls were silent for a moment. Annabelle looked at him lovingly; Sarah glared at him with her hands on her hips.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Sarah screamed.

"Don't take your anger out on him!" Annabelle defended, sitting up on her knees. "He did nothing. This was me." Sarah's eyes darted back and forth between the both of them. "It doesn't even matter; he loves me. This is fine." Annabelle said after a moment of silence.

Sarah looked at Jack and rolled her eyes. "Do you, Jack?" She asked.

He blinked a few times and stood up straighter. "…Yes," He certainly didn't want any more of Sarah's wrath.

Sarah raised her eyes and smiled. "And you're going to marry her, yes?"

Jack glanced back at Annabelle quickly. She was smiling up at him. He gulped. "…Yes," he repeated.

"Well then I guess everything's fine then," Sarah said, and left the room.

Jack looked back and forth between Annabelle and the door Sarah had just walked out of.

"Jack, come here," Annabelle said, reaching out for him. Jack made a face and scurried out the door. He looked around his ship and saw Sarah sitting with Will on the deck.

"Sarah," he said, standing over her. She looked up at him and brought a hand to her brow to shield her eyes from the sun. "What do you think you were doing?" He asked, obviously holding back anger.

"Nothing," she said simply. "I was just confirming what Annabelle had told me."

Will was a little confused; he was only partially caught up on what had happened.

"I. Do. Not. Love. Her." He told her in no uncertain terms.

"Well you're going to marry her." Sarah told him.

"I will not."

"You promised her."

"I'll break it off."

"Good luck."

Jack looked at her through narrowed eyes. "You're not her father."

"So? Do I have to be her father to look out for her?" Sarah asked.

"She's a grown woman; she doesn't need anyone looking out for her." Jack reasoned.

"Are you kidding me? If no one was looking out for her she'd be dead by now." Sarah scoffed.

"What did I tell you about controlling people, love?" Jack asked, a smile creeping into the corner of his mouth.

Sarah grimaced.

"Jack, you did lead her on," Will said, contributing to the conversation for the first time.

"Did not. I just didn't _discourage_ her," Jack argued. Will rolled his eyes.

"You're the only one who would describe it that way."

Jack stuck his tongue out at him. "I'm creative."

"When are we getting to Spanish Town?" Sarah asked, clearly annoyed. She couldn't wait to get back to something of a normal life and have this all behind her.

"About an hour and a half," Will told her.

"Ninety minutes." Jack said right after. Sarah rolled her eyes.

Annabelle walked out to meet the three of them, arms wrapped tightly around herself. "Good morning." She said meekly. Will nodded at her. He was the only one with any reaction.

"We're almost to Spanish Town." Sarah said without looking at her.

"Well, I'm staying with Jack…" Annabelle replied, stepping closer to him.

Jack's expression was shocked. "Annabelle, we should talk about that…"

Her eyebrows worked their way together. "We should?" She asked.

Jack nodded grimly. He led her over to the side of the ship.

"What's he going to tell her?" Will asked.

"I don't know, but he'd better fix this mess." Sarah answered.

"Annabelle, ye know I love ye." Jack told her, taking her hands in his. Annabelle nodded.

"The thing is…" He began, dropping her hands, "Mister Gibbs, he…has a problem with women on board a ship." He explained.

Annabelle laughed, "There are two women on the ship right now."

"Yes. But this is different. You and Sarah were rescued. We 'ad to save you. It wasn't an option." He clarified.

"Well then tell Mister Gibbs to get off the ship."

Jack frowned. "No."

"But you love me," Annabelle argued.

"Aye. But Gibbs is an old friend of mine, a loyal friend at that." He told her.

Annabelle started to speak, but was interrupted by Gibbs walking up to them.

"We're here, Cap'n." He said. Annabelle was glaring at him, and he cocked his head.

"We'll finish this later," Jack told Annabelle.

**Thanks for reading; I'd love to hear what you guys think!**


	5. Women on Board

**Just a short chapter before bed **

Jack sat on top of a black horse. The horse's coat had been bleached by the sun, and had taken on an orange hue. He held a hand out to Sarah to help her get on.

"I'll take my own." She said, taking the reins of a cherry bay.

"Then try to keep up." Jack said with a grin. He gave his horse a tremendous kick and galloped off. Sarah rolled her eyes and gently squeezed her horse. Easing into a canter, she wasn't far behind Jack. He suddenly yanked on the reins, his horse stumbling to a stop. Sarah cantered right past him before stopping her horse a few yards ahead of him.

"Beat you!" She shouted, turning the bay around to face Jack.

"Cheated." He said with a smile.

"Why did you stop?" She asked.

"I don't know where we're going."

Sarah laughed, "It's the house up on the hill."

Jack brought his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the sun. "That's an estate, not a house, love."

Sarah shrugged, "Small discrepancy."

* * *

A man had taken their two horses at the gate, and they were lead into a courtyard.

"Does it feel good to be home?" Jack asked.

"This isn't really home…but it's good." Sarah answered.

They were brought up to a man standing before the front door.

"What is your business here?" The man asked.

"I'm looking for my fiancé, Robert Ahern. Has he arrived yet?" Sarah explained.

The man's demeanor completely changed. "You're Sarah?"

She nodded warily, "Yes...has Robert arrived?" She repeated. The man put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you…but a ship came into port a few days ago, with casualties of a pirate attack they had picked up…and Robert was one of them."

Sarah frowned. She didn't have much of an emotional reaction. Jack looked down at her sadly.

"Robert is dead?" She clarified.

The man nodded. "He was buried this morning."

"Well, thank you." Sarah replied, and began to walk away. Jack followed her, more than a little confused. They grabbed their horses and started toward town at a slow walk. The sun was setting, and it would have made for a beautiful scene under different circumstances.

Jack was growing increasingly nervous. Not a word had been said by either of them, and he had no idea what Sarah's reaction to this news would be.

"Are you okay, love?" He finally asked.

"I guess so," she said with a shrug, "I mean I didn't love him or anything. It was just a good match that ensured a comfortable life for me."

Jack nodded and they continued on in silence for a while.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do," Sarah admitted.

Jack turned and smiled at her. "I have a suggestion."

Sarah raised her eyebrows.

"I think, at this point, the best course of action would be to have a good, long drink."

Sarah smiled at him. "Aye, aye!" She exclaimed, and they pressed their horses to move a little faster.

* * *

"So, tell me Jack," Sarah began, having long forgotten the day's events with Robert, "what in heaven's name are you going to do about Annabelle?"

Jack's eyes widened, he was stunned. "I've forgotten!" He shouted, mortified.

Sarah's expression now matched Jack's. "You'd better remember quickly; I'm surprised she hasn't found you already!"

"OH!" Jack exclaimed, "I was tellin 'er that she couldn't be aboard because Gibbs doesn't like women on 'is ship."

Sarah shot him a doubtful look.

"'s not a lie," Jack said, throwing his palms in front of him.

Sarah shrugged. "It's going to be harder than that. Annabelle's a stubborn girl."

Jack's head fell into his hands. The bar they were in seemed run-down enough to avoid Annabelle, but now he was starting to worry.

"I'll think of something," he said, dismissing the problem for the moment, "but right now I want to know how yer doin."

"You know, I had forgotten about that until now," Sarah teased him.

Jack threw his hand over his mouth. "Uh-oh,"

Sarah chuckled, "No, it's alright. I just can't believe those bloody pirates! Just take whatever they want from us, ruin our lives, and leave us here like this. I mean I have nowhere to go. I was going to spend the rest of my life with Robert, but now that's ruined," Sarah lamented.

All the laughter drained from Jack's face. He leaned in close to her. "You want revenge," he observed.

Sarah nodded, a little uncomfortable.

"We could track them down," Jack suggested, "and get back some of what you lost."

The corners of Sarah's mouth turned upward. She twisted her glass around on the table in circles.

"Would you like to do that?" He asked.

"Aye," she said, grinning. "Wait-I thought Gibbs didn't like women on ships," she realized, disappointed.

Jack smiled at her, "He can deal with it."

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!**


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